- Email: [email protected]
The laying hen and its environment
Applied Animal Ethology, 9 (1982/83)
389-395 Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam - Printed in The Netherlands
389
Book Reviews HENS
The Laying Hen and its Environment, R. Moss (Editor). No. 8 in the Series Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Boston, London, 1980, vi + 334 pp., Dfl. 95.00, ISBN 90-247-2324-6. The husbandry of chickens maintained for the production of commercial eggs is under close scrutiny, not only from the viewpoint of economics but also with regard to ethological and physiological implications. This timely volume is a potpourri of papers and discussions from an assemblage of scientists brought together by the Commission of the European Community “to discuss what is already known, and can be agreed upon from the normal physiological and ethological range of the laying hen, and second to try and determine what further research and development work is required to add to that knowledge”. In view of the public debate on husbandry practices used for chickens, the objectives are not only noble but necessary if science is to have influence on policy decisions. As would be expected, the quality of the formal presentations ranged from mediocre (at best) to excellent. Discussions, which follow each paper and each session, occupy approximately 40 percent of the volume and are a valuable adjunct. This is because they not only provide important insights into the study area, but they also display the intensity of feelings and prejudices of involved scientists. Session I was devoted to “current knowledge of the ‘normal’ range of behaviour and physiology”. Duncan asked what is normal for the domestic hen and then attempted to describe and catalog those patterns commonly displayed by chickens in different environments. Faure discussed the genetic aspects of adaptation and provided data from experiments on measuring adaptation. He rightfully alludes to the scenario of this in commercial poultry breeding. A proper corollary to this was Petersen’s discussion of the optimum environmental conditions of the caged hen. In the final paper of this session, Beuving summarized his excellent studies on the relative changes in plasma corticosterone of the fowl to various so-called stressors. Session II was devoted to “behavioural and physiological needs”. Vestergaard presented data which he felt supported the psycho-hydraulic model of motivation, while Folsch provided an overview of behavioural observations obtained from hens kept in battery cages and on litter. Caveats concerning both interpretations and generalizations in studies on behavioural needs and genetic determinants were presented by Hughes and by Bessei. The degree of subjectivity and diversity of opinions among the participants is perhaps borne out by the fact that the text of this session contained more pages of discussion than of formal papers!
390
“Measurement of essential and behavioural needs provided by present husbandry systems” was the theme for Session III. Results from the well-known cage, litter and free-range experiments conducted at Celle were discussed by Wegner. In addition, she provided an overview of research with get-away cages and aviaries. The conundrum between laboratory studies and their commercial application was discussed by Hill - one of the few speakers who relied on literature from both sides of the Atlantic. Bra&as argued that the battery cage was inadequate to meet the behavioural needs of the laying hen and Jensen provided an overview of molting practices. While cogently precluding ethological considerations, Hann wrestled with providing definitions. His summary table of inputs, outputs and environmental factors associated with poultry husbandry was of considerable interest, and provided the basis for dialogue regarding the pros and cons of such practices. It was pleasing to have Tauson bring together his applied studies on the design and construction of laying cages. A final discussion and summary by Raymond demonstrated the concern of the operational aspects of the conference. The lack of an index is disconcerting, because data on specific topical areas appear throughout the book. We live in a period where, rightfully, there is public concern not only with the husbandry of the animals we study and use for food and fiber, but also with the conservation of resources. I found it ironic that this book could have had, with only a modest change in printing format, its number of pages reduced by 15-20 percent. Although this volume did not fulfill its awesome task (an impossibility at this point in time), it is essential reading for all interested in applied animal ethology, animal welfare and poultry production. It is a most welcome addition to my library. PAUL B. SIEGEL (Virginia
Polytechnic
institute
and State
University,
Blacksburg,
VA,
U.S.A.)
FOWL BEHAVIOUR Das Verhalten van Hiihnern (The behaviour of fowl) by D.W. Fijlsch and K. Vestergaard. Birkhauser Verlag, Base& Boston, Stuttgart, 1981, DM 39.00, sFr 36.00, ISBN 3-7643-1240-8. This publication collects five articles of Folsch (2) and Vestergaard (3) and presents a valuable and useful contribution to the study of fowl behaviour. The papers have been written in English or German. Vestergaard opens with a short introductory paper (English, German summary) on aspects of normal behaviour of fowl. In this worthwhile summary, I missed a reference to the interesting analysis by Feekes (Behaviour, 43: 186) of irrelevant ground pecking of fighting jungle fowl in relation to agonistic and displace-
389-395 Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam - Printed in The Netherlands
389
Book Reviews HENS
The Laying Hen and its Environment, R. Moss (Editor). No. 8 in the Series Current Topics in Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Martinus Nijhoff, The Hague, Boston, London, 1980, vi + 334 pp., Dfl. 95.00, ISBN 90-247-2324-6. The husbandry of chickens maintained for the production of commercial eggs is under close scrutiny, not only from the viewpoint of economics but also with regard to ethological and physiological implications. This timely volume is a potpourri of papers and discussions from an assemblage of scientists brought together by the Commission of the European Community “to discuss what is already known, and can be agreed upon from the normal physiological and ethological range of the laying hen, and second to try and determine what further research and development work is required to add to that knowledge”. In view of the public debate on husbandry practices used for chickens, the objectives are not only noble but necessary if science is to have influence on policy decisions. As would be expected, the quality of the formal presentations ranged from mediocre (at best) to excellent. Discussions, which follow each paper and each session, occupy approximately 40 percent of the volume and are a valuable adjunct. This is because they not only provide important insights into the study area, but they also display the intensity of feelings and prejudices of involved scientists. Session I was devoted to “current knowledge of the ‘normal’ range of behaviour and physiology”. Duncan asked what is normal for the domestic hen and then attempted to describe and catalog those patterns commonly displayed by chickens in different environments. Faure discussed the genetic aspects of adaptation and provided data from experiments on measuring adaptation. He rightfully alludes to the scenario of this in commercial poultry breeding. A proper corollary to this was Petersen’s discussion of the optimum environmental conditions of the caged hen. In the final paper of this session, Beuving summarized his excellent studies on the relative changes in plasma corticosterone of the fowl to various so-called stressors. Session II was devoted to “behavioural and physiological needs”. Vestergaard presented data which he felt supported the psycho-hydraulic model of motivation, while Folsch provided an overview of behavioural observations obtained from hens kept in battery cages and on litter. Caveats concerning both interpretations and generalizations in studies on behavioural needs and genetic determinants were presented by Hughes and by Bessei. The degree of subjectivity and diversity of opinions among the participants is perhaps borne out by the fact that the text of this session contained more pages of discussion than of formal papers!
390
“Measurement of essential and behavioural needs provided by present husbandry systems” was the theme for Session III. Results from the well-known cage, litter and free-range experiments conducted at Celle were discussed by Wegner. In addition, she provided an overview of research with get-away cages and aviaries. The conundrum between laboratory studies and their commercial application was discussed by Hill - one of the few speakers who relied on literature from both sides of the Atlantic. Bra&as argued that the battery cage was inadequate to meet the behavioural needs of the laying hen and Jensen provided an overview of molting practices. While cogently precluding ethological considerations, Hann wrestled with providing definitions. His summary table of inputs, outputs and environmental factors associated with poultry husbandry was of considerable interest, and provided the basis for dialogue regarding the pros and cons of such practices. It was pleasing to have Tauson bring together his applied studies on the design and construction of laying cages. A final discussion and summary by Raymond demonstrated the concern of the operational aspects of the conference. The lack of an index is disconcerting, because data on specific topical areas appear throughout the book. We live in a period where, rightfully, there is public concern not only with the husbandry of the animals we study and use for food and fiber, but also with the conservation of resources. I found it ironic that this book could have had, with only a modest change in printing format, its number of pages reduced by 15-20 percent. Although this volume did not fulfill its awesome task (an impossibility at this point in time), it is essential reading for all interested in applied animal ethology, animal welfare and poultry production. It is a most welcome addition to my library. PAUL B. SIEGEL (Virginia
Polytechnic
institute
and State
University,
Blacksburg,
VA,
U.S.A.)
FOWL BEHAVIOUR Das Verhalten van Hiihnern (The behaviour of fowl) by D.W. Fijlsch and K. Vestergaard. Birkhauser Verlag, Base& Boston, Stuttgart, 1981, DM 39.00, sFr 36.00, ISBN 3-7643-1240-8. This publication collects five articles of Folsch (2) and Vestergaard (3) and presents a valuable and useful contribution to the study of fowl behaviour. The papers have been written in English or German. Vestergaard opens with a short introductory paper (English, German summary) on aspects of normal behaviour of fowl. In this worthwhile summary, I missed a reference to the interesting analysis by Feekes (Behaviour, 43: 186) of irrelevant ground pecking of fighting jungle fowl in relation to agonistic and displace-